Valve structure



Mmh 24, 1942.

' Filed May 3. 1940 ATTORNEYS.

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13- W 5 g l i 25 go Q 3i 6- 1% 55L 8 v 51 5; 6 -35 2.5L M a i 50; 53 2 39 27 2 ab :35 I I 21 a/ I I @{ga 15 19 1 1 EN I'OR. flazz/zewwfii w WW Pp ?atented er. s, 1942 U NlTED STATES PATENT oFFicE VALVE STRUCTURE Matthew w. Huber, Chicago, Ill;, assignorto Tuthill Pump Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application May 3, 1340, Serial No. 333,119

.8 Claims. (01. v 131-153) cipal object to provide an improved arrangement of purging orifice fori valve structures of the character therein disclosed so as to insure a quick or sharp cut-off action of the valve.

A'further object of the invention is to provide a structure wherein the purging orifice is arranged to afford direct communication between the interior and exterior of the bellows member which forms a yieldable mounting for the bypassvalve seat, so as to relieve the walls of said bellows member of excessive hydrostatic pressure and assist in the proper functioning of the bypass valve mechanism. Other objects of the invention will ,appearfrom time to time as the 4 following description proceeds.

The invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1' is a longitudinal section of a valve struc-- ture embodyingthe invention, the needle and by-pass valves being shown in their closed position, that is, the position in which they are disposed when the pump with which the structure is associated is not in operation and as a result there is no inflow of pumped liquid into thepressure chamber. i Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section showing the structure immediately after starting a of the pump, that is, with'the needle valve in-its open A position but the by-pass valve closed.

Fig. 3 is a similar fragmentary section showing both valves in their open position as the result of normal operation of the pump with which the structure is associated.

The embodiment of the present invention illustrated in the drawing is shown as applied to a valve structure, the main elements of which are substantially the same as those disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 351,789 above referred to. Although the particular feature of novelty of the present invention relates to the location of the purging orifice, the invention will best be understood by first describing the main elements of the valve structure to which it is applied.

'In the drawing, the valve structure is enclosed in the vertically elongated casing 5 having a bore 8 therein with a liquid inlet l5 and a supply out- .let it at the bottom thereof and a by-pass outlet ll adjacent the top. The valve structure is primarily designed for use with a liquid pump (not shown) such as is used for supplyin fuel oil to .the nozzle of an oil burner, said pump having suitable connection to the inlet l5, and the oil burner nozzle being suitably connected to the supply outlet it. As usual, the by-pass outlet l'l may have connection with a return line to the fuel supply tank. v

The supply outlet I6 is controlled by a needle valve member 6 which engages a seat member I 20 having a head 2| with an orifice 22 therethrough. Said seat member is fitted in a bore it formed concentric with the main bore 8 of casing 5 and communicating through the laterally extending duct [9 to the supply outlet I. The needle valve member 6 is herein shown as I being. integrally connected to a head or plate member I which forms the closure member of the by-pass, valve structure, as will presently be more fully described. A coiled compression spring 23 engages the upper facelof head I which is provided with an upstanding integral boss ii for' retaining thelower. end of said coiled spring. The upper end of said spring is seated against a head-like enlargement 24 in the lower'end of an adjusting screw 25 ,for controlling ,the com pression of spring 23. As shown in Fig. 1, said adjusting screw is threaded in a hole 26 formed within a reduced portion l3 ofa cap H which forms a closure for the upper end of the casing 5. The cap II is suitably secured on the casing as by bolts l2. A gasket l4 may be interposed as usual between the cap and the top face of the casing.

Referring now to the by-pass valve structure 7 including the head 1, the latter .consists or an extended flat plate having an annular depending flange 29 adapted tobe seated in abutting engagement with the upper face of a valve seat member 30. Said seat member is mounted for vertical yielding movement on the upper end of I a diaphragmor bellows member 35 which surrounds the needle valve stem, 6.

The bellows member 35 is suitably fixed at its lower end within the casing so as to define a chamber 9 within said bellows member below the by-pass valve plate I. In the form shown herein, the lower end of said bellows member is welded or otherwise connected by a suitable liquid-tight joint to a ring-shaped disc 38 having i -is dished upwardly to the point where it is connected to the lower end of the bellows member 35 so as to form an annular side .wall portion 28. A coii'compression spring 39 is disposed within the bellows member 35 between the valve seat 30 and the disc 36. This spring is lighter than the control spring 23 and operates in opposed relation thereto.

The bottom end of the sleeve 33 pressesthe flanged skirt 2'! of the disc 36 into liquid-tight engagement against the lower end of the bore member 8. Said sleeve extends upwardly to a point substantially above the by-pass valve 1, and is held in place by a relatively heavy retaining spring 34 which surrounds the valve control spring 23 and the reduced part I3 of cap II. The retaining spring 34 abuts the head of said cap and'is maintained under substantial compression therebywhen the cap is normallyin place on the casing.

The sleeve 33 also has a downwardly facing annular shoulder 32 formed on the inner face thereof normally spaced slightly above the valve seat member 30, but arranged to limit the upward movement of the latter when the pressure from below the valve seat member reaches a predetermined value, as will presently be more fully described. The sleeve 33 is spaced from the side wall of the bellows member so as to form an annular chamber 9 surrounding the latter.

The by-pass valve plate! isspaced from the inner wall of sleeve 33 as indicated in the several figures, so that when said valve plate is in open position relative to its valve seat, liquid may flow freely around its outer margin and into the bypass chamber ID for escape through the by-pass outlet l1.

Referring now more particularly to the novel features of the present invention, I provide one or more purging orifices each consisting of a relatively small fixed aperture so disposed as to afford direct communication between the interior and exterior of the bellows member 35 at a point below the valve seat member 30. As shown herein, one such orifice is provided, consisting of an aperture of fixed size formed in the upstanding side wall portion 28 of the disc 36. The arrangement is such that'the purging orifice 40 afiords direct communication between the interior of the bellows member and the annular chamber 9 which surrounds said bellows member. This annular chamber 9 has communication with the main by-pass port I! through the annular passage between the outer flange 3|? of valve seat 30 and the overhanging shoulder 32 on the sleeve 33. The arrangement is such, however, that when the outer rim 3| of valve seat 30 comes into engagement with the overhanging shoulder 32, communication between the purging orifice 40 and the by-pass outlet H, is cut oil.

, The general-operation of the valve structure above described is as follows: When the pump with which the valve structure is associated is not in operation so that there is no pressure in the chamber '9, the needle valve 6 and the bypass valve 1 are maintained in their closed positions as shown in Fig. 1, under pressure of the control spring 23. When the pump is started, sufiicient pressure is built up in the chamber 9 to exert pressure on the under face of th bypass valve 1, so as to cause said by-pass valve together with the needle valve 6 to move upwardly together in unison against the pressure of spring 23. During the initial upward movement of the two valve members, however, only the needle valve 6 is opened, because the valve seat 30 acting under the yielding tension of bellows member 35 and th coiled spring 39 therefii, follows the by-pass valve member I upwardly until the outer flange 3| of valve seat 30 comes into engagement with the fixed shoulder 32 on sleeve 33 so as to limitfurther upward movement of said valve seat member.

Any further increase in pressure acting on the under face of the by-pass valve member I will unseat the flange 29 of the latter relative to the valve seat 30 and permit direct escape of excess liquid through the by-pass valve 1 into the bypass chamber l0. ,7 When the pump stops or pressur is otherwise reduced within the chamber 9, the compression spring 23 moves the by-pass valve head downwardly, and the flange 29 is first brought into engagement with the valve seat 30 to close the by-pass valve. A further reduction of pressure then permits continued downwardmovement of the two valve members, together with the'seat member 30 under yielding action of the bellows member 35 and spring 39, until the needle valve 8 becomes closed.

Referring more particularly to the purging action effective through th purging orifice 40 dur- 1 ing the operation of the valve structure above described, it will be observed that when liquid is initially introduced in the chamber 9, any air or gases in the liquid may escape through the orifice 40, outer chamber 9 by-pass chamber l0,. and port I1. Such purging action is effective, however, only while the valve seat member 30 is being extended upwardly, and ceases when the outer flange 3| of said valve seat member contacts with the shoulder 32 on the sleeve 33. In

other words, when the outer flange 3] engages.

the shoulder 32, further communication between the purging orifice 40 and the by-pass outlet I1 is cut off. Nevertheless, while so cut off from the by-pass outlet, communication is maintained through the orifice 40 between "the chamber 9 within the bellows member and the chamber 9' surrounding th bellows member so as to maintain substantially equal pressure on opposite sides. of the bellows walls. The pressure in the outer, chamber 9% is directly effective upon the outer flange 3" of the valve seat member 30 so as to assist in maintaining said valve member in closed position against the shoulder 32 and resist any fluttering tendency of the latter while the liquid is escaping through the by-pass valve 1 from the inner chamber 9.

When excessive pressure on the by-pass valve 1 is relieved so that it is closed against the valve seat 30 by action of spring 23, further closingmovement of both valve members causes the outer flange 3! of the valve seat member to moveaway from the shoulder 32. As soon as this occurs, any excess pressure in the chamber 9 is suddenly released, and communication is reestablished between the purging orifice 40 and the by-pass outlet I! so as to cause a quick closing of the needle valve 6.

It will thus be observed that the outer flange 3| and shoulder 32 operate both as a limiting means for the by-pass valve seat 30 and as an auxiliary means for closing the outer chamber 9. It will be observed further that the purging orifice 40 communicates with the chamber 9 below the outer flange 3! so as to equalize the pressure effective on opposite sides of the expansible side walls of the bellows member 35 at all times, and particularly when the pressure within the bellows memberis relatively high and the liquid is being by-passed through valve I. Thus the side walls of the bellows member are relieved of any excessive pressure from within,

said interior chamber, and a needle valve member for said supply outlet movable with said plate which might tend to bulge them outwardly, or

otherwise interfere with the endwise yielding movement of the valve seat 30 as it follows the by-pass valve member I under pressure of the spring 23.

Although I have shown and described one particular embodiment ot' my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown and described, but that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeot my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a valve structure, a casing having an inlet, a supply outlet and a by-pass outlet, a

supply expansible bellows member in said-casing, I with one'end enclosing said inlet and supply outlet to define an expansible chamber, said bellows member also having a by-pass valve seat at the "other end mounted for movement toward and away from said supply'outlet and affording communication with said by-pass outlet, a valve member for said by-pass outlet valve seat and a valve member for said supply outlet movable with said by-pass valve member, said expansible chamber having a purging orifice independent of said by-pass valve member-afiording direct communication between the interior and exterior oi. said chamber tending to equalize the pressure eflective on opposite sides of the expansible side walls of said bellows member.

2. In a valve structure, a casing having an inlet, a supply outlet and a by-pass outlet, a

supply expansible'bellows member in said casing,

with one end enclosing said inlet and supply outlet to define an expansible chamber, said bellows member also having av by-pass valve seat at the other end mounted for movement towardand away from said supply outlet and afiordin'g communication with said by-pass outlet, a plate valve member for said by-pass outlet valve seat directly responsive to pressure in said expansible chamber,

a needle valve member for said supply outlet movable with said plate valve member, said expansible chamber having an orifice disposed between said inlet' and said by-pass valve seat'and aflordin'g direct communication between the interior and exterior of said bellows member tendmovable relative to said supply outlet and aifording communication with said by-pass outlet from said interior chamber, a plate valve member coacting with said by-pass valve seat and directly responsive to pressure within said interior chamber, a needle valve memberior said supply outlet movable with said plate valve member, and valve means movable with said bellows member adapted to cut 01! communication between said exterior chamber and said by-pass outlet when said bellows member is in a predetermined extended position. v

5. In a valve structure, a casing having an inlet, a supply outlet and a by-pass outlet, a supply extensible bellows member in said casing with one end enclosing said inlet and supply outlet and with its sides spaced from said casing so as to define interior and exterior chambers, a

, by-pass valve seat on the opposite extensible end ing to equalize the pressure effective on opposite sides of the expansible walls of said bellows member.

3. In a .valve structure,- a casing having an inlet, a supply outlet and a by-p ss outlet, a supply expansible bellows member in said casing with one end enclosing'said inlet and outlet and with its sides spaced from said casing so as to define interior and exterior chambers; said bellows member having a purging orifice affording direct communication between said interior and exterior chambers tending to equalize the pressure eflective in said chambers, said bellows member also having a'by-pass valve seat at its free end mounted for movement relative to said' supply outlet and afiordingcommunication with said I by-pa'ss outlet from said interior chamber, a plate valve member coacting with said by-pass valve seat and directly responsive to pressure within of said bellows member affording communication between said interior chamber and said bypass outlet, a valve member for said by-pass valve seat directly responsive to pressure within said interior chamber, a valve member for said sup- 7 ply outlet movable with said by-pass valve member, said interior chamber having a purging orifice communicating directly with said exterior chamber, and an auxiliary valve member carried on the extensible end or said bellows member adapted to limit the expansion of the latter relative to said'casing and control communication between said exterior chamber and said by-pass outlet when the pressure on said by-pass valve member reaches a predetermined value.

'6. In a valve structure, a casing having an o inlet, a supply outlet and a by-pass, a yieldable bellows member in said casing with one end enclosing said inlet and supply outlet and with its 'sides spaced from said casing so as to define in-- terior. and exterior chambers, said bellows member also having a by-pass valve seat at one end mounted for movement relative to said supply outlet and afiording communication with said by-pass from said interior chamber, a plate valve member for said by-pass valve seat, a needle valve member for said supply outlet movable in unison with said plate valve member, means afi'ording limited-direct communication between said interior and exterior chambers, and-means for limiting the movement'oi' said by-pass valve seat relative to said supply outlet, said limiting means also controlling communication between said exterior chamber and said by-pass.

7. In a valve structure, a casing having an inlet, a. supply outlet and a by-pass outlet, 8, supply expansible bellows member defining interior and exterior chambers in said casing, both having communication with said inlet and supply outlet,.two valve means on the expansi-ble bellows member respectively controlling communication between said by-pass outlet and one of said chambers, one or said valve means being arranged to be opened when the other valve means is closed, and vice versa and a third valve means controlling said supply outlet and movable with the valve means controlling communication between the interior chamber and the by-pass outlet.

8. In a valve structure, a casing having an inlet, a supply outlet and a by-pass outlet, an expansible bellows member defining interior and exterior chambers in said casing, both having communication with said by-pass outlet, the interior chamber also having communication'with said inlet and supply outlet, and said interior chamber having limited direct communication with said exterior chamber, two valve means on the expansibie bellows member, one of which valve means operates to close communication between said exterior chamber and said by-pass outlet by limited extensible movement of said bellows, the other of said valve means having a third valve means movable therewith for controlling said supply outlet, said second valve means operating to establish communication between said interior chamber and said by-pass outlet when said first named valve means is closed, and to be closed when said first named valve means is opened, whereby accumulated pressure in said outer chamber is quickly released by the opening of the first valve means to facilitate rapid closing- 01' said third valve means.

MATTHEW W. HUBER. 

